Bulgaria polymorpha , Wett. 131 
Owing to the contraction of the gelatinous hyphae when 
hardened in alcohol and their subsequent expansion when 
removed to water it was impossible to obtain a series of 
microtome-preparations, so that the search for antheridial 
and oogonial branches had to be abandoned. The early 
stages in the development of the ascus itself were easily 
observed, and as they were found to accord with those 
described by Harper 1 , Dittrich 2 , and Gjurasin 3 . need no 
further description. 
In the young ascus the apex was appreciably thickened, 
and when treated with iodine solution a cylindrical plug, 
hollowed out towards the interior, was differentiated by 
staining a deep blue. As it increased in size the plug 
became stretched, and could only be distinguished with 
difficulty. 
When the eight spores were first formed it was impossible 
to say which four would become thick-walled. Each had 
a single central nucleus which divided into two, and the 
daughter-nuclei travelled to the poles, while a large vacuole 
formed between them. Staining at this stage however, with 
Weigert’s haematoxylon or with safranin-gentian violet, 
showed that some change was occurring, for four of the 
spores stained deeply, while four remained practically 
colourless, except at the poles. This was to be explained 
by the formation of a carbonized wall, almost impermeable to 
stains, round the developing spore. The brown-walled spores 
then increased slightly in size, and the deep longitudinal 
depression, giving the spore its characteristic appearance, 
developed. The colourless spores did not increase in size 
after the division of the original nucleus. 
Lately Wisselingh has shown that the walls of fungal 
hyphae in the majority of cases consist of chitin, so that 
it became of interest to determine whether this was the 
case for the gelatinous walls met with in Bulgaria. On 
1 Harper, Ann. of Bot., xiii, p. 467, 1899. 
2 Dittrich, Cohn’s Beitr., viii, p. 17, 1899. 
a Gjurasin, Ber. d. deutsch. bot. Ges., xi, p. 113, 1893. 
IC 2 
